


Unwanted

by pukajen



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Time, M/M, Magic Revealed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-10 12:03:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12911547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pukajen/pseuds/pukajen
Summary: Despite the fact it's nearing the end of the first term of his second year at uni, Merlin has yet to lose his virginity. Or, really, do anything beyond some drunkenly enthusiastic kissing and grinding.





	Unwanted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [little_dhampir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_dhampir/gifts).



> Thanks so much to H for the beta!
> 
> This story didn't quite go how I thought it was would; bit off from the original request. I hope @little_dhampir doesn't mind too much.
> 
> The request: Insecure and inexperienced Merlin asks his popular, cool roommate (University, college, whatever) to teach him about sex. Lots of smut; feelings happen.

Despite the fact it's nearing the end of the first term of his second year at uni, Merlin has yet to lose his virginity. Or, really, do anything beyond some drunkenly enthusiastic kissing and grinding.

First year, he had been too busy working two awful jobs and making certain that his marks stayed high enough to keep his scholarship. (Keeping his magic hidden in such a large city had also presented its own challenges. There were so many CCTV cameras, so many people.)

That first year, it had taken until after Michaelmas for him to really make any friends. By then, everyone in the group he had found himself pulled into was already paired up, or, like Arthur and Gwaine, busy trying to have as much sex as possible. And, while Merlin wholeheartedly supported both choices, options for either were few and far between for him. Especially when he was out with Arthur.

Arthur effortlessly pulled people into his orbit and, once you got past the general dickishness, he was actually a fantastic bloke to know. Arthur would do anything for his friends. Last April, Merlin had watched him wade into a crowd of fuckwits who wouldn't take no at a club to rescue a woman. At four to one, there was no way for him to win, not with Leon, Morgana, and Gwaine on the other side of the club.

Despite probable defeat via an beating, the odds hadn't dissuaded Arthur as he’d first tried to reason with the idiots, then along with the woman, thrown punches. If Merlin had helped out a little, well, no one was the wiser. Those arseholes had been pissed to the point of slurring their words, so tripping over their own feet wasn’t at all suspicious. (The raging and nearly incurable case of crotch rot he gave them might have been more so. As the itching would only stop when they stopped being arseholes, Merlin suspected they were still scratching.)

By the time Morgana, followed by Gwaine and Leon, had shoved their way through the crowd, both Arthur and Elena (who only sort of needed rescuing), had dealt with the drunken fuckwits.

When they all left for the night, it was Gwaine that had got Elena's number, but the bartender had blown Arthur in the bogs in appreciation. Something that Merlin was envious of on many, many levels. Not that he has the practical skills to blow anyone all that successfully, but his imagination seems to know what to do.

Even when he isn't saving the day, Arthur radiates strength and power. Merlin can’t tell if it’s an inherent personality trait or something that Arthur has picked up over the years. That Arthur is fit and with a wonderful smile just adds to the overall appeal. When they’re out at pubs or clubs, Merlin doesn't even bother trying to compete.

Why would anyone look at him when there is Arthur?

Sure, he can be a prat, but he’s a beautiful one. One who fits in with the football lads and the crowd at Gay Soc and most of their classmates.

With his perfect upper-class accent and pedigree, he also rubs elbows (and genitals) with the posh twats who only seemed to be at school to drink as much alcohol as possible while having Mummy or Daddy (or, more often than not, Mummy’s and/or Daddy’s representatives) give their various colleges ridiculous sums of money to continue to let their darlings attend their courses.

Not that Arthur's father had to give money to his college or Morgana's as both of the Pendragon heirs were fucking brilliant as well as being gorgeous. And they both have some sort of gift for talking their way out of problematic situations. 

During his first year, Merlin had watched Arthur charm his way out of more than one situation that should have ended badly. That would have ended badly for Merlin. Arthur bats his lashes showing off his stunning blue eyes and apologises/negotiates/flirts, his charming smile and posh accent making people fall into line. 

Merlin has often wondered if he could ask Arthur to teach him how to do the same. (Frankly, Merlin has often wondered if Arthur could teach him far more. Mostly naked things.)

With the exception of Gwen, none of the Merlin's new circle of uni friends needs to work, so going out to concerts (with backstage passes that Gwaine acquires in some slightly dubious fashion), clubs (where Morgana never has to wait in line), football matches (always in owners' boxes thanks to Leon's father, who still holds the record for most goals scored in a season), and various guest lectures (most of which Arthur gets front row seats for. He ended up fucking the gorgeous infrastructure engineer from Bombay at the wine and cheese thing after and had exchanged handjobs with the bio-waste management expert backstage before the auditorium had fully empted) has become semi-regular events for Merlin.

All last year, Merlin had watched as Arthur bounced from partner to partner, not seeming to have a preference for gender, style, ethnicity, or social status. As long as they were fit and smart (and that second one was only a requirement for more than a one off), Arthur single-mindedly went after what he wanted and usually got it.

Arthur and Gwaine seemed to have equal success with pulling and their partners always have smiles for them whenever they happened to encounter them again. 

Merlin is both fascinated and envious; he’s watched them cob off with nearly everyone that they set their sights on. Never in a million years could Merlin go up to a stranger and start speaking with them with the sole purpose of a sexual encounter. Not with the way his ears heat up and he develops either a stammer or the inability to shut up when he finds himself talking to someone he fancies. 

How he'd managed to string a single sentence together when he and Arthur were first paired up for the term-long project in Green City Planning, Merlin has no idea. (Arthur still teases him about walking into wall for a full two weeks when they first met. It's a habit that hasn't entirely gone away, though Arthur thinks that it has. He doesn’t know that the black eye Merlin sported back in September was from by tripping over his own feet the first time Merlin saw Arthur going from bathroom to his bedroom in nothing but a towel and water droplets.)

Why Arthur’s ridiculously large flat doesn’t have an en suite, Merlin has no idea.

Sometimes, Merlin wonders how he's managed to fall into a group of such posh, vibrant people. It isn't that he’s awful, but he is gangly and too smart for his own good, and little bit magic and none of those things should fit with Arthur and his lot, but somehow do. Just over a year on and he can’t imagine his life without them. 

Fate, or whatever, that had paired he and Arthur up for the assignment in Green City Planning has changed Merlin’s life. They might have had a rough start, but after the first week, they had become fast friends. By default, he had become friends with Gwaine, Leon, and Morgana. Summer break had felt interminable. Email and text weren’t the same as being able to ring any of them up for a chat or to grab a quick coffee.

This year, Merlin is living with Arthur in his flat and not in student housing. Merlin still isn't sure how that happened; only that Morgana and Leon are now living together, and Gwaine wanted to live on his own for some reason, so Arthur had two empty rooms. Well, one now.

Three months of living together have been both the best and worst time of Merlin's life. Having Arthur all to himself is pure pleasure and torture. Merlin wouldn't trade the quiet evenings of studying or watching films (Arthur's taste is utter shite, but Merlin's trying to get him to watch something that as more dialogue than than car chases and explosions) for the world. 

He's still of two minds about seeing Arthur stumble around in his boxers first thing, all sleep rumpled and gorgeous or coming back from runs, sweaty, eyes sparkling, grin huge as he mocks Merlin's lack of physical activity. 

There might have been several frantic wanks early on. (Might still be.) Chaffing goes away. Right?

And, if every now and then, the looks Arthur gives him make Merlin think that Arthur might be interested in following Merlin when he beats a hasty retreat to his room, well, what could Merlin offer him? Merlin has very little experience. Elador is a tiny dot of a village and, while no one had been hostile to the only openly gay boy, nor had there been any other boys his own age to experiment with.

Since coming to uni, Merlin has either had his nose buried in books, working ludicrous shifts at work, or watching as Arthur pulls (or gets pulled) by some of the most beautiful, witty people Merlin has ever seen in real life. (If his magic had flared restlessly when Arthur had gone off with other people, well, they were basically strangers and it was only worry for Arthur’s safety. Or so Merlin tried to convince himself.) 

Maybe Merlin should have found a way to go out on his own, to find a partner and figure out exactly what one does when clothes come off.  Now, at nearly twenty, he has no idea and can’t imagine asking anyone for advice. Not when they all think he was sleeping with Edwin at the end of last term and should have this all figured out by now.

That had been a non-starter. Edwin had not taken kindly to the way Merlin had prioritized Arthur over him (over nearly everything). There had been an ugly confrontation with Edwin mocking Merlin’s lack of knowledge and laughing at Merlin’s infatuation with Arthur. (‘Why would Arthur ever want to fuck a fumbling, clumsy virgin? I’ve seen the people he’s had sex with, and you barely rate a two compared to them.’)

The risk of humiliating himself with Arthur is practically a foregone conclusion. Not that Merlin thinks that Arthur would be cruel, at least not intentionally. In fact, Merlin's knows that if Arthur knew Merlin was a virgin that Arthur would either stop anything sexual between them or be so solicitous as to put Merlin right off. (Okay, probably not, but at least make Merlin feel so ridiculous after that Merlin would have to find a new university, preferably in another country, at which to finish his schooling.)

With all that in mind, Merlin started this year determined to have an orgasm with someone else.

It had taken until the middle of October before he found someone and the courage to do something about his attraction.

Or, rather, for someone to find him late on Thursday while at a Gay Soc open mic night at The Rising Sun. 

A fit and pretty talented singer who looked nothing at all like Arthur had chatted him up before pulling him into the loos. (Daniel's hair had been blonde but without the hint of gold, and the blue of his eyes wasn't nearly as crystalline as Arthur's. There had also been a tongue ring that had nearly had Merlin coming in his pants untouched when Daniel had fluttered it along Merlin's neck murmuring how it would feel elsewhere.)

Everything had been good, great in fact, zippers tugged down, shirts rucked up, hands sliding under layers of clothes to grab cocks. Both he and his magic had been fully in agreement at how amazing that had been. Regrettably, when Merlin came as Daniel’s finger had circled Merlin's hole, all the mirrors in the loo had cracked and two of the toilets had backed up all over the floor.

Luckily, Daniel had been too shocked by the awful smell to notice the mirrors as they fled, hastily rearranging clothes and superstitiously wiping hands clean, and generally trying to look as if they hadn't been getting off in the bogs.

After what happened at The Rising Sun, Merlin had been too scared to even have a wank for weeks. Fine, days. Living with Arthur was very hard, erm, difficult on his self-control. Despite his worry, nothing untoward has happened to any of their pipes or glass (or that of their neighbours, as far as Merlin knew) any of the subsequent times he'd come.

With barely two weeks until they left for winter holidays, Merlin is no closer to his goal than he had been at the start of term. And, there's no way he's going home a virgin. Not with the way Will teased him over the summer.

Wanting more experience, but not having the confidence to try and get off with another person until he knew what to expect, Merlin had saved up and gone on a bit of a buying binge at a sex shop on the other end of the city. One as far away from Camelot University as he could find. 

Three dildos in increasing sizes are lined up neatly on his desk to the right of his laptop. To the left of it are a vibrator, a cock ring, a box of a hundred condoms, lube (regular, flavoured, and warming), and a box of tissues.

Merlin has been doing a lot of research and feels ready to move onto practical knowledge. He's even found a site that is filled with amateur porn tutorials. (It's pure coincidence that the couple on the one for how to use dildos for the first time is a muscular blond with short hair and a lanky pale bloke with a mop of dark brown hair. It wasn't as if Merlin had gone looking for them. If anything, it's destiny that he found them so easily.)

Arthur has gone out for the evening with Gwaine, and won’t be back until after midnight, if at all. They'd tried to drag Merlin along with them, but he'd used the need to work on a paper about low-income housing planning to stay home. 

Left unsaid is the fact that Merlin just can't bare to watch Arthur pull any more. It's not that Merlin begrudges Arthur his success, it's that Merlin can't help but wish himself to be on the receiving end of Arthur's attentions. Though, if his heart aches now, when he only can imagine what he's missing, Merlin is fairly certain he wouldn't be able to survive the pain of only being with Arthur once. In the year and a bit that he's known Arthur, Merlin hasn't ever seen him stay with the same person for more than a couple of weeks.

Now that he thinks about it, Merlin doesn't remember the last time Arthur stayed out all night. And, for better or worse, not once has Merlin had to have his morning tea with a stranger. (Something that Morgana complained about more than once last year.) Not that Arthur needs all night, but from the stories that a gleeful Gwaine and occasionally a drunken Leon have told, Arthur enjoys pleasing his partners and isn't always quick about it.

Considering that Arthur thinks a ‘short run’ takes an hour and isn't even winded when he gets back, Merlin can easily translate that to other activities. Same with how quickly and skilfully Arthur can wield a knife when cooking. His fingers moving nearly faster than Merlin can track, strong and certain.

Shoving all thoughts of Arthur combining stamina with manual dexterity aside, Merlin strips while his laptop wakes up. He feels awkward; all too-long limbs and poky angles. Still, there's no one to see him, so who the fuck cares.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin opens the bottle of lube and picks up the smallest dildo.

It takes a couple of seconds for the video to start; the room has bland beige walls, a bed with a simple iron frame dominates the shot.

“Hello, I'm Josh and this is Paul,” says the fit blonde man and it feels as if he's smiling right at Merlin, “and we're going to show you all sorts of fun things.” Josh strokes a hand down Paul's neck, over his chest, and pinches his right nipple.

A shiver runs down Paul's frame causing a sympathetic one the in Merlin.

“If you've read the blog, you now that this will be our first lesson on penetration,” says Paul, back arching slightly as Josh continues to toy with his nipple.

“It will not be the first time for us,” Josh says. “Move at whatever pace you feel comfortable at. Paul here is an eager lad and I had to fuck him good and proper earlier today to take the edge off.”

Merlin's cock, which was filling out in tandem with Paul’s, goes to fully hard at the thought of being fucked 'good and proper'.

“Get comfortable and let's get started.” So saying, Paul shifts on the bed so that he's on his hands and knees, arse to the camera.

“Merlin?” Arthur calls, front door slamming. “That paper isn't due—”

Whatever else Arthur says, is lost as Merlin flails around trying to simultaneously stop the video, cover himself, and hide his supplies. He accomplishes none of those things.

What he does manage to do is make the desk invisible. There's a thump as the dildo he was holding drops to the desk, rolls and falls to the floor.

“Shit!” Merlin mumbles, frantically trying to figure out exactly what he did to make the desk invisible. Before he can sort anything out, the door to his room flies open.

“Merlin? Are you—” Arthur's words abruptly cut off.

With too many problems to sort out at once, Merlin is frozen in place.

“Now, remember, there really is no such thing as too much lube.” Josh's tiny voice comes from the laptop.

“Or too slow the first time,” Paul adds, the last word turning into a low moan.

Merlin wonders if there's a way to make himself disappear.

“Merlin?” Arthur asks and there are a million questions in laced through the one word.

“Fuck, Josh,” Paul moans.

The laptop poofs out of site with blue smoke and a pinging sound. Thankfully, it goes mute at the same time. It's about the only helpful thing Merlin's magic has ever done for him. Though now all his sex aids are just sort of floating there.

“Merlin?” Arthur grits out, hurt and disappointment dripping from his voice.

Why the fuck couldn't his magic be useful? There are stories in Gaius' folios of people freezing time. Of changing the outcome of pivotal events. There are no stories, as far as Merlin knows, about idiots who get caught watching a how-to video about anal sex while naked, sporting a prominent erection (how he is still fucking hard, Merlin hasn't a clue) and manage to make their desk invisible and laptop poof out of existence.

Curling in on himself, Merlin shuffles to his bed and wraps the eiderdown around his nakedness.

There is no way that Arthur is going to let him stay. Not with how much Uther hates magic. More than once, Merlin has heard Uther's vitriol spew forth against the evils of magic users. If he could, Merlin is certain that Uther have all magicals rounded up and locked away. As it is, his company has been taken to court by the Equality and Human Rights Commission more than once.

How he's going to find housing with weeks left to the term, Merlin has no idea. Maybe he could couch surf. Not that he has many friends that aren’t also Arthur’s. He’s so fucked. And not at all in the way he’s been trying to be for the last year and a bit.

Maybe if– 

“What were you doing?” Arthur's question breaks through Merlin's racing thoughts.

“Baking a cake,” Merlin answers, voice cracking on 'cake'.

“I don't think you're doing it right,” Arthur jokes, but it falls flat.

“No, I don't think I’m doing it right either,” Merlin says, slumping down onto his bed.

Out of the corner of his eye, Merlin catches sight of the purple vibrator and he can feel heat suffusing his face. This is, far and away, the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to him. In his worst nightmares, he could not have imagined this. This is going to be something he remembers and cringes at for the rest of his life.

It’s also the most awful thing that’s ever happened to him.

“Fuck,” Merlin sighs, burying his face in his hands.

“Why?” Arthur asks, coming to loom over him.

“Because I’m a virgin and I wanted to know what it was like,” Merlin mumbles, beyond caring about his pride.  Not when he’s probably going to lose his home (which is a huge problem), lose Arthur (a bigger problem). He’ll probably lose most of his friends as well. 

And, fuck, all of his notes on the paper he’s writing for next term were on his fucking laptop. Hopefully, it's just invisible like the desk. No that invisible really helps, but at least it's tangible. 

“No, I already knew,” Arthur says.

“What?” Merlin yelps, his neck cracking painfully at the speed he looks up.

“Well, Merlin, you’re not a subtle as you think you are,” Arthur tells him. “Plus, we’ve been living together for nearly four months and I’ve never once seen you so much as snog anyone.” Gesturing to the hovering sex toys, Arthur continues, “I'm guessing that you wanted to figure out what you like before trying in real life.”

“Oh.” Turns out that there was more humiliation. Though it’s just a small part of the whole, but somehow Merlin feels it the sharpest.

“What I want to know,” Arthur says, eyes boring into Merlin’s, “is why you lied to me for the last year.”

A million excuses trip over Merlin’s tongue. So, of course, it’s the truth that falls out. “I didn’t want you to hate me.”

Now, not only will Arthur hate him, but he will also have the most hilarious story to share with all their friends. (Former friends? Merlin isn’t sure how all this is going to work out.)

It suddenly occurs to Merlin that Arthur isn’t yelling at him, isn’t ordering him to leave and never come back. There’s anger and hurt and something Merlin can’t identify, but there’s no shouting. Or worse, the stone-cold silence Merlin experienced shortly after introducing him to Edwin.

“I don’t,” Arthur starts, stops, sighs, fiddles with his ring. “I don’t hate you. That’s not to say that I’m not angry at you for lying to me for so long.”

“How could I tell you the truth?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, ‘Arthur, I have magic’. It’s not that complicated.”

“And you would have said, great Merlin, please never come near me again. Oh, and by the way, my father wishes he could burn you at the stake.”

At his words, Arthur stiffens, his face becoming a rigid mask. “Is that what you really think of me? That I am filled with hate and distrust?”

“No, I. No.” There’s no way to explain the jumble of what he feels for Arthur. What he thinks of him.

“Why did you even move in here, if you thought so badly of me?” Arthur asks softly.

“Arthur, fuck, no. It’s not that.”

“Whatever,” Arthur says, turning to leave.

Merlin surges to his feet, needing to stop Arthur. Certain that if Arthur walks out of the room that they’ll never be okay again. 

Unfortunately, Merlin’s coordination isn’t always the best and he trips over the eiderdown and ploughs into Arthur’s back. They tumble to the floor, the eiderdown wrapping around the tangle of their bodies trapping them. Merlin’s right arm is stuck under Arthur’s neck, his left pinned between Arthur’s torso and bicep.  No matter how they struggle, they can’t seem to get free.

“Are you doing this?” Arthur asks, glaring at Merlin.

“No,” Merlin says, desperately trying to control both his magic and his body. All the wriggling has had the predictable effect and Merlin’s cock is taking a decided interest in the proceedings. Considering his growing erection and the way he knows his magic is wrapped around them (it seems to have one hell of a crush on Arthur), Merlin thinks that maybe he should have done more of the meditation Gaius is always lecturing about.

“Merlin,” Arthur growls, causing Merlin's cock to twitch.

“Not on purpose.” It’s meant to be a statement, but comes out as a question. “Sorry.”

“Well, stop it.”

“It’s not exactly that easy.”

Eyeing him doubtfully, Arthur rolls them to their sides, his thigh brushing against Merlin’s erection. They both freeze. Merlin can feel his eyes going wide and wishes that he’d taken to the time to read the pdfs Gaius had sent him. Maybe a spell was needed to stop time.

“Merlin!” The look Arthur is giving him has Merlin’s pulse racing and his cock throbbing. 

“That’s not on purpose either,” Merlin says, wondering if the blush he can feel heating his face will ever go away. 

“Feels on purpose,” Arthur murmurs, breath ghosting over Merlin’s cheek.

Arthur moves his leg, deliberately rubbing along Merlin’s cock, his jeans are soft and worn and feel amazing and Merlin can’t help the small shudder that runs through his frame. 

“On purpose!” Merlin gasps the accusation as Arthur moves again.

“Yes,” Arthur agrees with a small grin. “Want me to do it again?”

Part of Merlin wants to scream yes, another part of him (a stupid self-preserving part that really hasn’t been in evidence for the last nineteen years, so why it chooses now to speak up is a mystery) says, “No.”

“Sorry,” Arthur says, moving as far away from Merlin as he can in the confines of the eiderdown cocoon. 

“I mean, yes! I meant to say yes,” Merlin babbles, trying to wriggle closer to Arthur, his left hand clutching at the back of Arthur’s jumper.

“Which is it?” Arthur asks, planting his hand firmly in the centre of Merlin’s chest, keeping them apart. This close, Merlin could count Arthur’s eyelashes if he wanted to. (He does, he really, really does, but the way Arthur is looking at him causes Merlin to want to rub against Arthur like an eager cat.)

“Yes, please?”

“Are you sure? Because I don’t think I could live with myself if you changed your mind after.” 

There is no way to hide from Arthur’s intense scrutiny; Merlin would love to know what Arthur is searching for because Merlin would happily give it over. From the way Arthur’s thumb starts rubbing back and forth, Merlin assumes that Arthur can feel the way his heart is racing and is trying to reassure him. 

“Why do you want to?” Merlin manages to ask. A herculean feat because Arthur’s thumb is tantalizingly close to Merlin’s nipple and all Merlin can focus on is willing Arthur to move just enough to touch him there.

“I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you.”

“No, that can’t be right!” Merlin protests, suddenly able to focus without issue. “The first time you saw me, I spilled coffee all over myself.”

“The coffee made your shirt cling to your stomach in the most amazing way. I have no idea what was said that first day of lectures, I was too busy looking at you.” 

Mind reeling, Merlin tries to remember Arthur’s reaction, but beyond the ‘holy fuck that bloke is fit and way too posh and a bit of an arrogant arsehole’, all Merlin can recall is trying not to draw more attention to himself. 

“I was sure you thought I was an idiot.”

“I did.” Merlin gives him a wounded look. “Merlin, you got your name wrong when Kay asked you.”

“Fair point,” Merlin conceded. “But, why did you never say anything? Try anything?”

“Why didn’t you?” Arthur counters.

“Because you’re Arthur bloody Pendragon,” Merlin says in exasperation. “You’re fit, and smart, and rich and can have anyone you want. Why the fuck would you want me?”

“Because you’re amazing,” Arthur says earnestly. “I mean, you’re hopeless and naive and have the wrong end of the stick about most things, especially football, but you’re funny and gorgeous and one of the best friends that I’ve ever had.” Raising his hand, Arthur strokes Merlin's cheek. “You have the most stunning eyes. They’re filled with laughter and curiosity and wonder.”

“I always thought my eyes were just blue,” Merlin tries to joke, but his breathing is a bit uneven and he can’t get the tone right.

“They are that too,” Arthur says, fingers continuing to stroke under Merlin’s lashes. “I’m going to kiss you now.” 

“Ok–,” the end of Merlin’s agreement is cut off by Arthur’s lips covering his. 

While not tentative, the kiss is soft and slow, and much to Merlin’s frustration, Arthur keeps his mouth firmly closed the whole time. 

“What do you want?” Arthur asks, words ghosting against Merlin’s lips.

“You.” It is both that simple and that complicated. 

“I need a bit more than that,” Arthur says seriously.

Though only a few inches separate them, it feels like miles.

“I want you.”

“Yes, we’ve covered that. But how?” Arthur asks, impatience creeping into his voice. “For right now? For tomorrow? For the rest of term?”

“Forever,” slips out and Merlin knows that it’s too much. Too soon. They’re too young to be thinking about forever, except that Merlin knows deep in the place where his magic comes from, a place as old as time, that from the first moment he saw Arthur that he needed to be with him in any way possible.

However, ‘forever’ is– 

“Sounds about right,” Arthur says, then he’s kissing Merlin again. Only, this time, his mouth is open, teeth nipping at Merlin’s bottom lip, tugging, playing, teasing. When Merlin gasps, Arthur slides his tongue into Merlin’s mouth and things go a bit hazy for Merlin.

Arthur tastes of tomatoes and spice and heaven and he might be the best thing that Merlin’s ever had in his mouth. (Unhelpfully, his brain supplies the image of Arthur’s cock in Merlin’s mouth and it’s all Merlin can do not to come then and there.)

Rutting against Arthur’s body, Merlin thinks he can feel every fibre that separates them: the rough stitching of Arthur's jeans, the soft cotton of his jumper, the fine scrape of his wool socks. There’s too much in the way and not enough skin and Merlin might go mad if he can’t properly get his hands on Arthur’s body.

Little whimpers escape from Merlin’s throat as he tries to get closer. Then, suddenly Arthur is naked.

“Merlin!” Arthur squawks, whether in protest or surprise, Merlin doesn’t know.

Honestly, he doesn’t care, because now his body is sliding against Arthur’s and it’s the most incredible thing in the world. Arthur is hard and soft and rough and smooth and a million other things that Merlin can’t quite process except for please gods more. 

Sliding his right leg between both of Merlin’s, Arthur doesn’t seem to care any more about what happened to his clothes as the soft hairs of their legs slide and catch. Arthur’s heel comes to rest in the crook behind Merlin’s bent knees. It’s all new angles and sensations and friction in the most amazing places and Merlin knows that there’s no way he’s going to last. (He just hopes that he can hold out long enough to actually feel some part of Arthur against his cock.)

“Please,” Merlin moans, unsure of what he’s asking for except more. 

“Soon,” Arthur promises, canting his right leg up, causing Merlin’s left to slide to Arthur’s hip. Reaching down, he arranges Merlin so that Merlin’s left leg now drapes around Arthur. The move brings their cocks into alignment.

“Oh, fuck!” Merlin cries out.

“Next time,” Arthur says, breath coming in gasps. “I’m not going to last.”

Nodding in frenzied agreement, Merlin tightens his leg around Arthur, jerkily moving his hips, trying for any friction against his cock that he can manage. Sweat slicks Arthur’s back causing Merlin’s fingers to slide when he goes to pull Arthur closer still.

There’s no coordination, no ease of motion, no perfect rhythm. There’s frantic hands and teeth clacking and moans of pleasure filling the spaces between them. 

Arthur manages to get his hands on Merlin’s arse, fingers digging into flesh as he holds Merlin steady. Then things really get sloppy. Pinned in place, Merlin can only moan and shudder as Arthur ruts against Merlin, their cocks sliding together in a movement that still feels a bit rough despite sweat and precome easing the way.

But none of that really matters, because Arthur is kissing Merlin between gasps and moans and Merlin can feel Arthur’s cock jerking against his own and this is not at all what Merlin thought it would be. It’s so much better than any of the perfect scenarios he came up with; it’s genuine and it’s rough and it’s perfect in it’s reality. 

Needing more, but not sure how or what, Merlin tries to press closer, but their bodies are already as close as they can be. 

“Arthur,” Merlin whimpers, so close. So very close, but not quite able to tip over. 

Somehow knowing what Merlin needs more than Merlin himself does, Arthur slides his hand down Merlin’s arse until his finger comes to rest on Merlin’s hole. Then he gently pushes and the world goes white. 

Merlin’s orgasm rushes through him in a fire hot flash of pleasure so great he fears that he might pass out. It feels as if he’s exploding and imploding at once (which might be possible, magically speaking) and everywhere he touches is Arthur, everything he feels is Arthur. There’s nothing but pleasure and Arthur and Merlin vaguely thinks that maybe this is the real magic in the world.

Panting for breath, Merlin comes back to himself, his muddled brain trying to make sense of what just happened, while his body just wants it to happen again.

There’s a pressure on his stomach and Merlin realises that Arthur is trying to shove his hand between their bodies. Doing his best to accommodate without losing contact, Merlin sucks in his belly. It gives Arthur the space he needs to wrap his hand around his own cock.

It only takes several sharp tugs before Arthur’s back arches and their come is mixing on their stomachs as he groans Merlin’s name. 

They lie together, heartbeats slowly going down, exchanging soft kisses and softer words. 

Eventually, Merlin becomes aware that the floor is not the most comfortable place to be. (Also, that the glass in the room seems to be intact and there are no screams or sirens or sounds of gushing water.)

“Where are my clothes?” Arthur finally asks, eyes lazily sweeping the room.

“I have no idea.”

“Merlin, you’re the one who made them disappear!”

“It wasn’t really on purpose.”

“You better figure out how to make certain that this never happens outside of our flat,” Arthur grumbles.

“You’re taking this much better than I could have hoped,” Merlin says, waving his hand around to indicate the missing desk and clothes, really, everything that’s happened since Arthur came home. 

“I might not openly disagree with my father, I can’t afford to yet, but I do not in any way support or agree with his beliefs.” 

“You never said one way or the other,” Merlin mutters, shame stealing in and threatening to usurp the euphoria. 

“No, I suppose I didn’t.” Gently, Arthur cards his fingers through Merlin’s hair. “And, I get why you might have been unsure of where I stood. It’s not as if I ever shut my father down when he started in on his bullshit.”

“I’m sorry,” Merlin says, placing a gentle kiss on Arthur’s lips. “I should have had more faith in you.”

“I’m sure we can find a way for you to make it up to me.” There’s a gleam in Arthur’s eyes that has Merlin’s cock twitching hopefully. 

“Anything,” Merlin agrees fervently. “Only, maybe not on the floor.”

Disentangling their limbs, Arthur stands gracefully while Merlin scrambles to his feet. Arthur’s clothes have (thankfully) reappeared in a heap next to the bed and Arthur uses his pants to clean of their stomachs. 

“It’s back,” Arthur says, looking behind Merlin. 

Turning, Merlin sees that the desk is once again visible. On it, sits his laptop and the items he bought at Good Luv Inc. The video has paused on a shot of a bright green dildo halfway into the arse of the dark haired man. If he wasn’t still flushed from their earlier activities, Merlin has no doubt he would be bright red now.

“Yeah, umm.” 

“I think I might need to see what you were going to watch.” 

Arthur leans over the laptop and for one horrified second Merlin thinks he means to press play. Relief washes over him when Arthur merely closes it. 

“Bed?” Merlin asks hopefully. He hasn’t shared a bed since he was in footie pyjamas with Will, but he’s sure he’ll figure it out. If not, Arthur has always been willing to show Merlin how to do things and Merlin doesn’t think he’ll stop now.

“We still have a lot we need to clear up,” Arthur says, but he’s picking up the eiderdown and crowding Merlin towards the bed.

“Yes. I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” Merlin promises as he slides between the sheets, shivering as his heated skin comes in contact with the cool cotton.

Settling in beside him, Arthur manhandles Merlin until he’s on his right side, Arthur pressed along his back.

“Tomorrow, we’ll sort everything out,” Arthur says into the nape of Merlin’s neck, pressing a kiss there. 

“Tomorrow,” Merlin agrees, snuggling back against Arthur. 

There’s plenty to sort out, but Merlin isn’t all that worried. Not with the way Arthur is lacing their fingers together.


End file.
